Part 8 (2/2)
Gozo ied the calf into the bush
”Gozo is determined that the lion shan't benefit, even if he escapes the buffalo's horns,” observed Denis ”Let's keep out of the way, and we shall see ill next happen” Presently the buffalo ca about everywhere for her calf; but not observing it, naturally supposed that the lion had carried it off, and consequently away she dashed again in pursuit of the still fugitive king of the wilds
”The big cowardly cat! I wish that shewhich will knock the breath out of his body entirely!” cried Denis
”What! do you call the lion a cat?” exclaimed Percy
”To be sure I do What is he but 'Felis leo'? which means the cat lion, as you know, in Latin He is more cowardly, too, than most cats, for he'll never attack either aoff the victor I have not forgotten an unpleasantI spent once up a tree, with a couple of lions and their cubs ra round me; and if it had not been for my father and Hendricks, I should have been there still, at all eventswould have induced me to come down and be torn to pieces by the brutes It was a day or two after Hendricks found you, Lionel, and our friends Mangaleesu and Kalinda made a wonderful escape from their enemies which you have heard of”
”What do you ht he was the son of Hendricks,” said Percy
”So I aht that ht be Dutch boers; when Denis however tried to teach lish words that he was convinced they were English people; but although he has endeavoured to discover them for my sake rather than for his own, he has never yet succeeded in finding even the slightest clue as to who they could be”
”How very curious!” said Percy ”When I get home to my father and mother, I must tell them all about it They will be much interested, and I hope, Lionel, that you will come and see them”
”I should like to do so very much, if Hendricks will let me,” said Lionel ”But he wants reat a hunter as he is, and that is just what I should like to be I am sure, therefore, that he will not allow ht we shall outspan at the farm, as we have had so many delays that he is in a hurry to push on”
The conversation was interrupted by a loud crashi+ng of the underwood, and the lion was seen bleeding fro on over all i him
He took no notice of the party on horseback, except to turn slightly aside as he cae to enable either Denis or Gozo to hit hih the buffalo came much nearer, Denis would not injure the noble brute; but the Kaffir would have tried to kill her, had not he and Lionel shouted out to him not to fire The lion had not ain to get hi on when the buffalo got up to hi his hinder quarters with her horns, sent hi forward, she struck hi his claws into play
”Hurrah! she's done for hi and then tra on the carcase of the lion ”We had better let her enjoy her victory without interference; for probably, being in a combative mood, she may run a muck at us, and we shall be under the painful necessity of shooting her”
Just as he was speaking, Lionel shouted--
”Look out! look out!” and the brave buffalo, catching sight of the horses, and probably fancying that they were fresh eneh the underwood towards them Denis had only just ti already disalloped off on one side and Lionel on the other Denis fired, ai at the buffalo, as did Gozo iainst her hard skull, and although Gozo wounded her in the neck, she came on Denis fully expected to be tossed into the air or tra stock still, he raised his rifle and pulled the trigger The bullet struck the buffalo, and must have entered her heart, for she at that instant fell so close to Denis, that he narrowly escaped an aard prong from her horns directed towards him
”Bravo, Lionel! you did that well, and many thanks to you for it,” he exclaihted to hear of it, as I aht the beast down,” said Lionel, ”though I would rather she had shown her discretion by keeping clear of us Poor brute, she deserved a better fate”
Gozo, however, as influenced by no such feelings, immediately set to work to cut up the buffalo, and to preserve soested that in consequence of the state of irritation the creature had been in, it could not be wholesohed at this notion, and declared that it would ed that he would be quick about it, as Percy especially was suffering froested that he should drink some of the blood, but Percy naturally shuddered at the idea, and declared that the very thought of it made hi of thirst,” observed Denis ”However, you are perfectly right The chances are, had you followed Gozo's advice, you would have beensecured a portion of the meat in a tree, and covered it over with part of the hide, so placed on the top of all, they rode on as fast as their tired horses could go in the direction of the stream They carried some of the meat, both of the buffalo and wildebeest, with them, but to eat it would have been impossible until they had quenched their thirst
At last Gozo shouted out, ”See, see! there is the water!” and they caught sight below theh the broad valley Their horses appeared to have seen it also, for they moved forith more alacrity than heretofore
Presently, as they rounded a thicket, up sprang just before them a herd of waterbok
”Whollop-a-hoo!” cried Denis, his usual hunting cry, and he dashed forward ”Venison will be better than tough wildebeest or heated buffaloin, as he was close to the aniht one of them down
”Hurrah!” cried his companions
”We must have another!” he exclaimed ”Lionel, see what you can do
Gozo, stop and look after the beast I have shot;” and he rode forward, loading as he went